


In the Darkness, There Was Nothing

by Magicnation



Series: TAZ Pride Week 2018 [4]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Lup comfort sandwich, Lup doesn't do well with dark enclosed spaces, Post-Canon, comfort cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-23 08:52:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14931119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magicnation/pseuds/Magicnation
Summary: When Barry and Lup materialize in Taako's kitchen after a mission gone awry, Taako knows right away something is wrong. He's sorry to say, they've been through this before.





	In the Darkness, There Was Nothing

**Author's Note:**

> **Day 4: Angst/Comfort**

Taako is humming brightly, if not tunefully, to himself as he preps the kitchen when he hears a portal rip open behind him.

“Hey, Krav. Dinner’ll be ready in-”

“Taako, it’s us.” But before Barry even finishes, a shuddering sob from Lup reaches Taako’s ears, and he is by her side in an instant. He can see her shaking, her disorientation.

“Hey, Lulu, it’s me, it’s Taako, Barry and I are here and we’ve got you.” 

Lup throws an arm around his neck, keeping the other around Barry’s, and pulls Taako close. She runs her hands down their faces as they carry her to the bedroom, where the three of them fall into bed in a sprawling heap. Lup is curled up between the other two, skimming one thumb across Barry’s lips and the other over Taako’s hand. 

After a moment, her trembling begins to ease, and she opens her mouth to speak. “You. You’re here. Both of you.” She whispers it like a mantra.

Barry brushes a wisp of hair out of her face. “We are. We’re here with you in Taako’s house and you’re safe, we’re all safe.”

“The sun,” Lup murmurs. “It’s so bright. So warm.” She takes a deep, steadying breath.

“Sure is,” her husband agrees. “Kinda like you.”

She smiles a little. “Fucking sap.”

He kisses the top of her head. “I figure that’s what you married me for.”

“Sure wasn’t your cool factor, nerd.”

“Or his fashion sense,” Taako quips.

“Double-teaming? Hardly fair, you two.” Barry shakes his head.

Lup snorts. “Since when did we have a reputation for playing fair? Playing fair is for _chumps._ ”

“Loser’s game, really,” says Taako.

Barry rolls his eyes and rubs his hand back and forth across Lup’s shoulder. The three of them fall quiet, awash in the sunlight streaming through the open window.

“Can I ask what brought it on this time?” Taako asks quietly, breaking the silence.

Lup sighs. “Slippery target took off into the woods on us. Didn’t seem like it would do more than delay us, until I stumbled onto a hidden pit trap. The kind they cover up with leaves and a tarp. Except I kinda fell through the side, and I went straight to the bottom without disturbing the cover very much. So it… it was dark.” Her voice catches.

“We were split up,” Barry explains. “I’d used a portal to get in front of him. Figured we’d just pin him between us, ya know? So the guy runs straight into me, it’s an easy catch, but Lup hasn’t shown up yet.” He shakes his head. “I called Kravitz, let him know we caught the renegade but that we had a reaper missing and I was going to find her. But it must have taken me fifteen minutes to figure out where she was, and longer still to get her out.”

“It was so dark. And empty. No one knew where I was.” Lup’s eyes fill with tears. “I couldn’t see anything.”

“It’s alright, sis. Barold and I’ve got you. You’re not alone.”

“But I was, Taako, I was so alone and I couldn’t see anything and when I finally _heard_ something, it was you, but not you. A different Taako who didn’t have a sister. And you were talking to Magnus and Merle, but they were different too. Strangers you knew better than you knew _me,_ your _twin sister._ ”

An oily feeling settles in Taako’s stomach, and for Lup’s sake he tries not tense up. “I know, Lup, I know. I’m-” He bites his tongue. ‘Sorry’ isn’t right. He’s not the one who should be sorry, anyway, it’s not like he wanted to forget his family. But Lup doesn’t need to hear that right now. “I’ll never forget you again. I promise. I won’t lose you.”

Barry glances knowingly across at Taako, but continues to address Lup. “Taako’s right, babe. Hell, there’s a whole world now who won’t forget you. You’re so loved, and you always will be.”

“I know. I know,” she says. “I know that but sometimes it gets dark and I forget where I am and when I am and I just-” She falters.

“That’s alright, babe. We’re here for you,” Barry assures her.

Taako runs his fingers through his sister’s hair. “Yeah. It’s gonna be okay.”

She exhales. "Okay. Yes. I'll be okay."

A soft tearing sound emanates from the living room, accompanied by Kravitz’ voice. “Taako? I’m home. Where are you?”

“We’re in here!” Taako gently untangles a knot in Lup’s fine locks.

Kravitz walks down the hall and stands in the doorway. He clears his throat hesitantly. “I took our friend to the Astral and got him processed. There’s still some paperwork to be done, but nothing that won’t keep.”

“Thank you, Kravitz,” Barry says.

“Not a problem.” He shifts his weight. “Well, if there’s anything else I can do-”

“Stop standing around like an idiot and get in here,” Lup mumbles.

Kravitz nods once. “Alright.” He shrugs his suit jacket off and hangs it on the doorknob, then crosses the room and climbs into bed behind Taako and drapes his arm across the other three.

“You know,” he muses quietly, “if we’re going to keep dogpiling like this, we might need a bigger bed.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Taako snorts.

“The point of dogpiling is the opposite of personal space,” Lup says.

“Yeah, Kravitz,” Barry chides, “get with the program!”

Kravitz shakes his head. “Triple-teaming? This is hardly fair.”

_“Fair play is for losers!”_


End file.
